Further evidence that the Idaho Republican Party is seriously into a process of consuming itself:

State Senators Shawn Keough of Sandpoint and Joyce Broadsword of Sagle, representing two of the Panhandle districts, have proposed a redistricting option for their area. As veteran Republican officeholders and candidates from the area (Keough, now a budget committee co-chair, since 1996), you’d expect that their take, whether or not accepted by all other Republicans, would get at least a respectful hearing.

What it got was this, according to the Bonner County Daily Bee:

The Region 1 Republican Central Committee passed a “no confidence” statement against them, explaining this way:

“As elected state officials, your actions have demonstrated that you do not understand, care about, or are acting in a manner that is consistent in the best interests of your constituents … Instead, (you) have used your political positions to further personal agendas and promote the best interests of the opposing political party in direct opposition to the Republican ideals we hold dearly.”

It’s not enough to say that they disagree with some element or other of the map Keough and Broadsword produced. No, they also had to describe them as dishonest officeholders and traitors to their party.

No great surprise, though, coming from a cadre (the Idaho Republican organization) seemingly seized by the idea that a conservative Republican governor (C.L. “Butch” Otter) taking normal and usual steps to boost the state’s economy and foster trade between Idaho and China is trying to sell out their state to the communists.

Which elected Republican will they turn on next? Really, at this point it could be any of them.

ADDENDUM Or, put another way: Are people in Idaho starting to live in fear of being reported to the party (there being only one) central committee for lack of ideological purity and for becoming a security risk? A question: What does that remind you of?